Breaking Down an Object Lesson
Discover a few key distinctions to a Charlotte Mason nature study
If you’ve found your way here, you’re likely at the beginning of your journey to understanding Charlotte Mason and not quite sure where to turn next. I’ve been so grateful to the many other homeschool mommas who’ve put resources out there to help me at every step of my journey.
Before we get to the list, one key thing to understand is that Charlotte Mason’s approach in and of itself is not a curriculum, but rather a set of principles that can be applied to your educational endeavors. Because of this, it means that one Charlotte Mason family will look entirely different than the next. Once you become more familiar with her principles, you’ll learn how to apply them freely to any book, resource, or activity.
Until then, here is a list of modern-day curriculums whose author is familiar with Charlotte Mason’s ways.
Probably the most notorious source for current-day lessons & book lists, Ambleside Online is an online homeschool curriculum designed to be a modern equivalent to the curriculum that Charlotte Mason used in her own PNEU schools. Best of all? It’s free.
*Our family loves this, we used it first for second grade/Form 1A. Alveary is a complete and comprehensive curriculum and teacher training program for homeschools, co-ops, and schools. Membership will include lesson plans for every grade, schedules to customize for you family, and extensive lesson plans.
CMEC offers full curriculum, support, and ongoing education and training for members. Under the guidance of the CMEC Leadership Team, the curriculum is constantly updated, enriched, and improved by a committed, experienced group of parents and teachers.
Classical Charlotte Mason provides resources for homeschool families in order to provide a better educational experience for both teacher and student. You’ll find quick links to recommended books for each subject plus unique offerings for copywork.
*Our family loves this company and uses many of their programs. The Gentle + Classical Press offers an eclectic mix of Charlotte Mason and classical education for students preschool through 6th grade. They offer complete preschool and kindergarten programs, multiple nature study curricula, geography, and “beauty loop” curriculum for the whole family. I had the privilege of helping design some of their pieces a while back!
*Our family loves enriching our school year with books and programs from here! Heritage Mom offers book lists and multicultural enrichment lesson guides that blends lifegiving books and a culturally-rich environment. I’ve had the privilege of helping design several of their pieces, bringing me great joy to get sneak peaks of the amazing curriculum!
Living Books Curriculum offers homeschooling families a high-quality course of study based on the time-tested methods of Charlotte Mason. Their lessons facilitate learning through literature, life experiences, and oral and written expression.
Mater Amabilis™ is a free online Charlotte Mason style curriculum created specifically for Catholic homeschool families ages Pre/K- High School.
A complete curriculum for K-High School, A Mind in the Light offers complete guides including narration suggestions, teaching notes, exams, reading schedules and more in the subjects of history, science, natural history, geography, literature, art, citizenship, music, and more.
Popular with larger families, your whole family is combined together for as many subjects as possible as you enjoy a wonderful mix of modern and classic books.
Wildwood Curriculum is a modern day secular curriculum based on the original works of 19th century educator Charlotte Mason that can be used by all families.
A Year of Learning offers gentle curriculum for your young learner featuring fun classics including Beatrix Potter’s tales.
This is by no means an exhaustive list–you’ll find many content creators as you explore each subject. But if you’re looking for more robust programs that offer cohesive lesson plans across multiple subjects, this is a great place to start. In full disclosure, I do not personally have experience with all of these but have done simple research while curating this list. If you have one to add, please be sure to leave a comment!
Discover a few key distinctions to a Charlotte Mason nature study
Here’s a list of a few curriculum providers to help you get started
See the quicklist cheat sheet for getting to know the Charlotte Mason method
Enjoy a Charlotte Mason Christmas with these simple Christmas guides